Transformation

Saša Jantolek questions the human being, their states, energies, and relationships with the world they inhabit. Astonishing and imaginative creatures emerge from his paintings, fused into surreal and fantastic creations. It is a peculiar blend of insect elements, or rather, elaborated beings with their wings, antennae, large and thin legs, tails, and scales, which also bear some human characteristics. The transformation, as the author calls it, completely changes the perspective of thinking, the logic of the created being, and imposes an absurd combination in which all naturalness is lost. Using a very skillful combined technique, the author achieves the motif by first burning the paint and carving to prepare the wooden surfaces, creating interesting and relief textures, and then intervening with acrylics, pastels, and pencils, combining drawing and the painterly trace of the brush. In a very interesting interplay of strong coloristic surfaces, he very spontaneously and expertly places his creatures, allowing enough airiness and space in the composition to give it a certain lightness. This shift in perception also contributes to the overall impression of wonder and play. Within the painting, the bodies seem alive; they fly, crawl, jump, and flee towards the edge of the paper. They leave behind traces, hints of movement, thin lines of sound, spilled signs, and piercing gazes.